KORK was founded in 1946 with twenty-four musicians in the orchestra, from ensembles previously led by Øivind Bergh and Gunnar Knudsen.
The orchestra initially secured its reputation in performances of entertainment music and light classics.
Sverre Bruland, KORK's second principal conductor from 1976 to 1988, established the orchestra's commitment to presenting contemporary Norwegian music.
In November 2019, KORK announced the appointment of Popelka as its next principal conductor, effective with the 2020–2021 season.
KORK has also worked in areas of popular music, such as providing backing to the Eurovision Song Contest in Norway in 1986 and 1996, as well as various activities in rock and jazz.